Marietta College
Marietta, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 79.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 60/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Marietta College scores 60 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale. Median 6-year earnings of $45,400 against a $21,083 net price produce a 10.1-year payback period and a 0.595 debt-to-earnings ratio. The 61.4% completion rate is below average. The repayment rate of 82.7% at three years is above average, suggesting graduates who finish are managing their debt well relative to peers. Marietta is a small (952 students) liberal arts college in Marietta, Ohio. The Scorecard reports only two programs with full cohort data, limiting program-level analysis. Petroleum Engineering (27 graduates, $82,205 year-one, ROI grade B+) is the distinctive high-value program and the primary driver of the institutional earnings median. Marketing (21 graduates) lacks earnings data in the first year and a debt grade. The $27,000 median debt is at the Stafford loan cap, indicating most students are borrowing the federal maximum. The earnings premium score of 58 reflects the lift from Petroleum Engineering graduates in an otherwise limited earnings dataset.
Marietta College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $39,652/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $39,652/yr |
| Average net price | $21,083/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $84,332 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $57,180 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $45,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 10.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 61.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 952 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $39,652/year. Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $21,083/year, or roughly $84,332 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $18,254/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $25,570/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $27,000 in federal loans, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $57,180 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.59, within the range advisors call workable but worth keeping an eye on.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $18,254 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,191 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,547 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,084 |
| $110,001+ | $25,570 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $18,254 per year at Marietta. Four-year cost around $73,000 against $45,400 median 6-year earnings and a 10.1-year payback is an acceptable financial outcome for petroleum engineering students. For other majors, the institutional median overstates likely earnings. Low-income students in non-engineering tracks should weigh the limited program-level data carefully and compare against lower-cost public alternatives.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $18,547, and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $20,084. Marietta's aid formula is notably compressed across income bands - the middle brackets pay nearly the same as the lowest. Four-year costs of $74,000-$80,000 are moderate for a private college. The 10.1-year payback at these net prices is manageable for petroleum engineering students; other programs may take longer to achieve that payback.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,000+ pay $25,570 per year. Four-year cost around $102,000 is above the institutional median cost for lower income brackets but reasonable for a private college. At full pay, the decision rests heavily on whether the student is entering petroleum engineering. Non-petroleum students at full pay should compare against Ohio public universities where similar liberal arts programs cost significantly less.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Marietta College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum Engineering | $99,295 | B+ |
| Marketing | $44,959 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum Engineering is Marietta's signature program and the clearest financial asset: 27 graduates, $82,205 year-one, $99,295 at year four, B+ ROI grade, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.328 with $27,000 median debt. Year-one earnings above $82k in the Appalachian Basin energy market are consistent with entry-level petroleum engineering compensation. The four-year trajectory above $99k reflects industry salary progression. The B+ grade reflects strong debt-adjusted returns. Marietta is one of the few liberal arts colleges with an ABET-accredited petroleum engineering program, creating a specialized market position.
Marketing
Marketing enrolls 21 graduates. Scorecard does not report year-one earnings or a debt grade for this cohort; year-four earnings are also not reported. Median debt and debt-to-earnings ratio are null. The limited data prevents a full ROI assessment. The small cohort and missing data reflect Scorecard suppression of small or partially tracked populations. Prospective marketing students should seek program-specific placement data directly from the institution rather than relying on Scorecard figures.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 76.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 82.7% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 75.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 78.9% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Marietta College’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 79.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 530-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 510-600 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-24 |
| Enrollment | 952 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 33.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,828 |
Marietta admits 79.3% of applicants. SAT 530-600 Math and 510-600 Reading and ACT 17-24 describe a moderate academic bar accessible to most college-ready students. Most qualified applicants are admitted. The 61.4% completion rate is the more consequential number - admission is generally accessible but graduation requires sustained engagement in a small, residentially intensive environment.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Marietta's peer set includes Allegheny Wesleyan College, Art Academy of Cincinnati, MidAmerica Nazarene University, Walla Walla University, and Saint Joseph's College of Maine. Among small Ohio private colleges, Marietta's petroleum engineering program is the primary institutional differentiator - few peers in this sub-group have an equivalent high-earning STEM anchor. MidAmerica Nazarene and Saint Joseph's College of Maine are closer in mission and size. Marietta's 82.7% repayment rate is the metric that most positively distinguishes it from peers - graduates who complete appear to manage their debt responsibly, likely reflecting the engineering graduate effect on the overall repayment pool.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marietta College (this school) | 60 | $21,083 | $57,180 |
| MidAmerica Nazarene University | 62 | $32,165 | $62,972 |
| Walla Walla University | 62 | $23,329 | $61,885 |
| Saint Joseph's College of Maine | 56 | $27,555 | $59,045 |
| Allegheny Wesleyan College | 29 | $5,355 | $37,453 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
Marietta admits 79.3% of applicants - broadly accessible. SAT mid-ranges are 530-600 Math and 510-600 Reading; ACT composite 17-24. Enrollment is 952. The Pell grant rate of 33.6% indicates substantial lower-income enrollment for a private college. Marietta is a traditional Ohio liberal arts college that built a petroleum engineering program serving Appalachian Basin energy industry demand. The small campus creates close faculty-student relationships. Students who are not in petroleum engineering should understand that the institutional earnings median is substantially lifted by that program and does not reflect the typical liberal arts or business graduate outcome.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Marietta College is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $21,083 a year after aid ($84,332 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $57,180 a decade out, the cost takes about 10.1 years to earn back. That's roughly average - not a bargain, not a mistake.
What it has going for it: high loan repayment success.
Median debt of $27,000 against $57,180 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.